Gordon Malloy
Gordon Malloy is a Human Helmsman and Lieutenant aboard the [[USS Orville|USS Orville]]. Unlike most of the ship's crew, Gordon did not work under the vessel's previous leadership. Instead, he was personally requested to serve by his long time friend and the current Captain, Ed Mercer. Gordon is played by Scott Grimes. Early life Little is known of Gordon's life before joining the Union. He once said that his father was often drunk and abandoned him for long periods of time.When Bortus leaves, John says: "He just left his baby alone with two drunk dudes." Gordon replies, "Reminds me of my dad. I miss him." Episode 3: About a Girl Gordon has been friends with Ed since their days as drinking buddies at the academy Union Point.Scott Grimes in The World of the Orville by Jeff Bond. Titan Books. 2018. Pg. 72. Even then, Gordon was known a gifted up-and-coming young pilot, respected for his dexterity and brashness. As a student in flight school, Gordon was able to "hug the donkey," an extremely difficult and dangerous fighting tactic.Episode 1: Old Wounds Career After matriculation, Gordon soon established himself as the best helmsman in the Planetary Union. Years later, Navigator John LaMarr said that Gordon's piloting skills were "legendary" throughout the Union. Yet Gordon's relaxed attitude and puerile behavior often got him into trouble. He was disciplined for drawing "a penis on the main viewing screen of Outpost T-85," and on other things as well. A final straw came some time before 2419. Wanting to impress a girl, Gordon manually overrode shuttle docking. Though no one was hurt, a cargo bay door was sheared off and 300 crates of authentic autumn squash were sucked into space. Gordon was suspended indefinitely and placed on desk duty soon after. When Ed is offered command of the Orville in September, 2419, he immediately asks Admiral Halsey that Gordon be made its helmsman. Though Halsey is concerned about Gordon's record of churlish behavior, he defers to Ed's judgment if Ed believes he can "keep Gordon focused." Later that same month, Gordon flies to the Orville by shuttle while drinking a beer, and by afternoon pilots the ship out of the Union Dockyard on its maiden voyage. Gordon's dismissiveness of command and authority, which got him into trouble in the past, soon re-surfaced. In October, Ed and Commander Kelly Grayson are kidnapped by Calivon zookeepers. When acting commander Alara Kitan follows Union orders to abandon the two as lost in the line of duty, Gordon is outraged. He angrily criticizes Alara's decision and is removed from duty. He is reinstated only after speaking bluntly with Alara, convincing her to disobey orders and rescue Ed and Kelly: You know what the really heinous thing is? If the Captain were in your shoes, he would've gone after you. He would've risked his career to save your life. You suck... sir.''Episode 2: Command Performance Military engagements Battle over Epsilon 2 Gordon quickly proves his renowned piloting skills to the Orville's bridge crew only a week after joining. Forced into a battle with a Krill destroyer, the Orville was outclassed and outgunned. Recognizing that their ship could never fight tit-for-tat with a heavier destroyer, the Pilot "hugs the donkey" like he did in flight school in order to distract the Krill from capturing a shuttle holding the ground team, Doctor Aronov, and valuable technology. Though Gordon successfully hugged the donkey, the Orville is heavily damaged by Krill torpedoes and the shuttle is heavily by wreckage from the Orville. The shuttle loses helm control and is unable to dock itself in the Shuttle Bay. Faced with nearly impossible odds, Gordon manages to orient the Orville so that the shuttle can enter the Bay. Gordon's ingenuity and unparalleled piloting skills saved the Orville and rescued the crew. Rescue of the Druyan In December, Gordon's skills would be required again. The Orville receives a Priority One distress call from the [[USS Druyan|USS ''Druyan]], a colony transport under attack from the Krill. After a brief 20 minute flight, the Orville engaged the attacking Destroyer. Again outgunned and heavily damaged as they were at the battle over Epsilon 2, Gordon and John worked together to attack the enemy's engines. The idea to attack the engines was a gambit; the traditional theory would be to attack the weapons, but John argued that the enemy's engines were near collapse. John's idea worked, and the Orville lived to fight another battle. Personality Gordon is a fun-loving fan of "classic" movies and television of the 20th and 21st centuries. As a dedicated bachelor, Gordon loathes the idea of settling down with a wife. When John asks if he has ever been married, Gordon replies, "Hell, no. In fact, when I imagine the person I'd fall in love with, the person who could bring me so much happiness that I'd want us to spend the rest of our lives together, God, it just makes me want to kill myself."Episode 4: If the Stars Should Appear Compared against other members of the crew, Gordon is considered a bit of a dullard. On one occasion, Kelly quizzes Gordon about information considered basic on Earth. He is unable to identify the capital of the former United States, the four chambers of the Human heart, and the scientist responsible for eradicating cancer.Episode 3: About a GirlIn another instance, Gordon tells Kelly, "I'm going to look up what 'magnanimous' means." Episode 1: Old Wounds Gordon gets along best with his bridgemate, John. The two quickly bonded in the morning of their first day aboard the Orville,Episode 1: Old Wounds and are laid-back, often disregard decorum, and together enjoy pranking other members of the crew. In one notable prank, Gordon and John place a piece of gelatinous Lieutenant Yaphit in buffet food, which Bortus unwittingly eats. For their jape, Gordon and John are formally reprimanded by Kelly.Episode 11: New Dimensions Gordon's relationship with Kelly is rocky. Thanks to his friendship with Ed, he knew Kelly prior to the Orville and found her to be a "bitch" because of the affair. After telling the Bridge crew that she is a bitch, he lies to her, saying he told them "that you're actually a pretty good person." Trivia *Gordon tells John that he was disciplined for doing a manual shuttle docking onto a ship which heavily damaged the ship. A week later, Bortus has Gordon manually position the Orville to dock the oncoming shuttle, essentially the same tactic that Gordon screwed up but in reverse. *After the battle over Epsilon 2, Gordon requests to wear shorts to work. Bortus, then acting commander, denies his request. *Gordon loves 21st century reality television, and had the idea to trade archives of the shows with Calivon Zoo administrators in exchange for Ed and Kelly.Episode 2: Command Performance *He tweaks an Environmental Simulator program of a shoot-out with Vásquez to make the desperado a dancer.Episode 3: About a Girl *After Moclan weapons testing nearly destroys Gordon's shuttle, Gordon discloses that he defecated in his pants.Episode 3: About a Girl *He is terrified of surgery ([http://common-phobias.com/tomo/phobia.htm tomophobia]), even having a panic attack during the removal of a skin tag.Episode 10: Firestorm **Coincidentally, Isaac surgically removed Gordon's leg only four months earlier.Episode 5: Pria *Gordon drinks alcohol while piloting several times. First, when flying a shuttle from Earth to the Union Dockyard. Second, he admits to being drunk while at the helm outside the Multiphasic Planet."Can you translate that for dumb guys who might also be a little drunk?" Episode 12: Mad Idolatry *The pilot takes an earthy interest in drinking and strip clubs.Gordon asks if Epsilon 2 has bars or strip clubs. Episode 1: Old Wounds *He finds star-mapping to be extremely boring. Appearances *''Episode 1: Old Wounds'' *''Episode 2: Command Performance'' *''Episode 3: About a Girl'' *''Episode 4: If The Stars Should Appear'' *''Episode 5: Pria'' *''Episode 6: Krill'' *''Episode 7: Majority Rule'' *''Episode 8: Into the Fold'' *''Episode 9: Cupid's Dagger'' *''Episode 10: Firestorm'' *''Episode 11: New Dimensions'' *''Episode 12: Mad Idolatry'' References Category:Characters Category:Living characters Category:Humans Category:Orville Crew